RUSSIA SUSPICIOUS

Evening Star, Issue 25393, 26 January 1945, Page 5

RUSSIA SUSPICIOUS

ANGLO-AMERICAN DESIGNS ON BULGARIA

MANY DIFFICULTIES PLACED IN WAY

NEW YORK, January 25. The Istanbul correspondent of the 'New York Times' says: "It is no secret that the Soviet authorities in Bulgaria are suspicious of their British and American allies and treat them, accordingly. The Russians apparently really suspect the British of political designs in Bulgaria, On the other hand they apparently regard the Americans as inoffensive nuisances who have, to be tolerated, but since tho Russians consider it unwise to show preference for the Americans'the latter mmst endure restrictions meant for the British. " The Russians restrict the move, ments of the. British and the Americans to -within a few miles of the Sofia area. Major-general Oxley, head of the British Armistice Commission, has twice beep stopped by Soviet guards when he wished to motor for a .short

distance beyond what the Russian soldiers believed to be the lino of' demarcation. The American Armistice Commission chief, Major-general Crane, and the American Minister in (Bulgaria, Mr Maynard Barnes, have had a similar experience. " The British and American Armistice Commissions experienced enormous difficulties in obtaining Soviet permission for planes bringing in supplies and personnel to land at the Sofia airport. British and American officers assigned to serve with the commissions had to wait weeks before the Soviet granted entry permits. British and American correspondents are not allowed to enter Bulgaria without the permission of Moscow.

"An unofficial Russian spokesman says the Soviet attitude is tit for tat, due to the British and American treatment of (Russians in Italy." The Washington correspondent of the North American Newspaper Alliance. " Pertinax," says ',' According to a diplomatic report from Budapest, the Red Army High Command is deporting all male Germans and 1,000 Rumanians of German descent from (Rumania to (Russia to enter a big German labour army which is repairing war ruins. The Rumanian Government, apparently backed by British and American diplomacy, protested on the ground that the armistice does not call for the forcible recruiting of Rumanian nationals,- but Russia is carrying out a rigorous reparations policy."